A group, the Concerned Citizens for a Better Abia (CCBA), has urged Abia residents and people to resist all attempts to impose political leadership again in the state.

This is contained in a communiqué issued yesterday at the end of the conference on Abia’s future, tagged, “Abia – The Way Forward”, held in Enugu.

The statement said that all forms of political patronage that breed irresponsibility and lead to “anointing” of incompetent and less experienced political leaders must be eliminated in the state.

“Abians shall ensure that leaders who will emerge from the forthcoming election are the people that have the mandate of the majority whose legitimacy derives from the people and who will be committed to improving the living condition of the people by investing in education, healthcare, infrastructural development etc.

“All Abians must participate actively in the electoral process in order to bring about the desired change.

“We must not only register and vote during the election, but ensure that our votes count.

“To this end, Abians must actively mobilise and educate the electorate on the importance of voting for credible people and not those who seek to buy our votes with money.

“Abians, who are resident outside the state, are also encouraged to apply to transfer their voting rights to the state within the timeframe allowed by INEC in order to be part of the mass mobilisation,” it said.

The statement charged the people of the state to ensure that political structures that nurture and sustain ‘godfatherism’ in Abia politics will be totally dismantled.

“So that elected leaders will devote their time and energies in creating the enabling environment that will bring about economic prosperity through job creation for our teeming youth and ultimately security in the state,” it said.

The communiqué was signed by Dr James Onyike (Conference Chairman); Mr Dave Agwalla (Chairman CCBA); Dr Okezie Maduagwu (Treasurer CCBA); Mr Chris Okoro (Secretary CCBA) and Retired Commodore Macdonald Ubah (National Officer CCBA).

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